Renewables' record for electricity generation

The proportion of electricity generated by low-carbon technology in the UK increased from 37.9% in 2014 to a record high of 45.5% in 2015, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Renewables’ share of electricity generation was a record 24.7% in 2015, an increase of 5.6 percentage points on the 19.1% in 2014.

DECC’s latest Energy Trends and Energy Prices report says the rise follows an increase in nuclear generation and increased capacity for renewables. The data is for the fourth quarter of 2015 and provides provisional annual data for 2015.

Renewable electricity generation was 83.3TWh in 2015, an increase of 28.9% on the 64.7TWh in 2014, with bioenergy up by 27.8% and wind generation up 26.4%.

Electricity generation from coal fell by 24% and gas was down by 1.2% in 2015 compared with a year earlier. Generation from renewables was up 29% mainly due to increased wind and bioenergy capacity.

Meanwhile, Scotland generated 57% of its electricity needs from renewable sources in 2015, surpassing the 50% target set by ministers.

Scotland is now more than halfway towards its target of producing the equivalent of 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

Higher output from renewable energy sources in Scotland has largely been due to an increase in onshore wind, hydro and solar generation.

Juliet Davenport, chief executive of renewable energy company Good Energy, said: “Yet again renewables are really proving their worth, and it is fantastic to see record amounts of electricity generated by renewable sources.

“Renewables have shown incredible growth in the past few years and are leading the way when it comes to making the UK more energy secure in the future.”

The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) and the Resource Association have joined a coalition urging the Government to “fast-track” the roll-out of separate food waste collections in England.

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